All Extract vs. Partial Extract

[Helium]

I've seen people talk about 'all extract' brews, but I've never seen one.
Every recipe, kit, etc. I've seen has at least some grains in it.
Do people really just use like 6 cans of the syrup for a brew?

[Cosmic Charlie]

Sure, I used to when I started out. If I remember correctly (this goes back to 1992ish) I used 2 of the 3.3 lbs cans - one of the style (stout, for example) and 1 of light, dark, or amber LME, whatever was called for. I quickly went to specialty grains, and was happy with that for a long time. I recently got into partial mashing - and I imagine I'll stick with it for a while.

[corkybstewart]

When I started out many many years ago there was a guy here selling brewing supplies. His "kit" consisted of a can of hopped extract and 2 cups of corn sugar, and I used the litttle packet of dry yeast that came with the can. When I asked him about maybe doubling the exract and skipping the sugar he couldn't understand why anybody would do such a thing, corn sugar is very fermentable and much cheaper than extract. After my second kit I ran across some guys in Odessa Texas selling kits that contained grain and hops along with a one gallon bucket of extract a nd Wyeast smackpacks. I never went back to the local guy.

[Helium]

All (6) of my brews have been 2 3.3lb cans of whatever darkness extract was called for, and then at least 2 packages of malt, 3 or 4 hop pellet packets, and some irish moss or other clarifying agent.

how much different is that then the all-grain method?
-if this should move into "all-grain" by the mods, that's cool.

am i basically replacing the 6.6 pounds of extract with grain?

[toneyc]

One of my favorite kits from AHS is their Blonde Ale, nothing but extract and hops. From their website:

Similar in style to Rogue Golden Ale. American style golden ale with a good hop bite. Features Centennial and Willametter hops and 7 lbs. liquid malt extract. O.G. = 1.048. Approximately 5% abv.

Bubba likes it.

:)
Toney.

[Mill Rat]

Originally posted by Helium
how much different is that then the all-grain method?


Basically put, extract brewing starts about halfway through the AG brewing process. Extract brewing starts by mixing a bunch of tasty sugars into the water in brew kettle. Once you have the sugars and water in a kettle, the two methods are essentially the same, except the wort in an extract boil is often concentrated, while the AG boils the full (and often more) volume that will go into the fermenter. You can, of course, do full-volume boils with extract, too.

Instead of using syrup or powdered sugars, AG makes the sugar water by rinsing malted grain that has been mashed to convert the starches into sugars.

[dparsons]

Originally posted by Helium

how much different is that then the all-grain method?


The difference between all grain and extract brewing is about the same as the difference between orange juice that has been concentrated and reconstituted and squeezing your own oranges. Its more work, but its better juice.

[Helium]

Thanks for the info.

I imagine that I'd need a much larger kettle then if I went in for AG.
Mine holds just about 3 gals.

[Mill Rat]

Or a smaller batch size.:(

[RichC]

I'm currently plotting a way to get the most out of AG on the stove top. I think I can hopefully get close to a 4gal batch with a 3gal boil, shooting for a pre-pitch SG of 1.053. If that doesn't work out, I'm going to buy another 4gal pot and boil 2 pots at once. I may just do that anyway, but I'm going to try a smaller AG batch first.